# Project Objective

The aim of this project is to create a database of press releases for green investments. We will then use this database to identify who gets credit for new green investments.

# Data Entry

This [Google spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jgWoROwOqEZUujVD50fXuQXlp-bbrTXzon-7u4FRTJw/edit?usp=sharing) contains the database. Contact Dylan for access if needed. Each row is a project that you are assigned to code. 

Each column of the spreadsheet is described in the table below. **The table also flags columns that should not be edited.**

Here are the steps to code an entry:

1. Before doing anything else, add your initials in the "Coder" column for the row you are coding. This will claim that row for you to code, so there is no duplication of work.

2. Verify that the company name and politician names associated with the project are complete and accurate. Complete means there is are no missing entries. Correct means that the politician was in office when or after the project began. For most projects, the companies, governors, senators, and U.S. Representatives have already been identified. But these entries may not be right and sometimes are missing. If you need to change a name (e.g., the wrong U.S. representative was listed), make the change and log it in the appropriate notes column (e.g., "Updated Representative name from John Doe to Kathy Stevens.")

3. For each project, you will identify whether the following political entities issued a statement about the project, and if so, add the text of that statement to the spreadsheet and a permanent link to the source. 

-   Company: the company making the investment

-   Governor: the governor of the state where the investment is made

-   U.S. Representative: the member of congress whose district includes where the investment is made

-   U.S. Senators: each U.S. Senator for the state where the investment is made

4. When copying and pasting the statements, the text should all be in one line, so there aren't paragraph breaks. A 'hack' to do this is to copy and paste the text into your web browser, then copy it again as a single line (h/t to Dylan for this idea).


## Initial statement sources

The spreadsheet has a second tab with a **URL bank**. Check out these links for statements as a first pass; they may be relevant, but several will not be. 

If these links work, **and match project specifications,** then copy the statement into the corresponding spreadsheet cell. Archive the link using perma.cc as described below.

If the link doesn't work, or doesn't match project specifications, track down the statements.

## What counts as a statement?

Qualifies: Published on official government websites, linked on the politician’s verified social media, or listed on the official campaign or legislative website.

Does Not Qualify: third-party advocacy group releases.

If there is no official statement but there was a statement made to the press, please include the a perma.cc link to the news article. This is an option of last resort and applies only to politicians (not companies).

**Time period:** Only include press releases issued since 2022 and prior to Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025.


## Handling common issues

### Multiple statements from the same actor

First determine whether the statements are unique or redundant. If each release offers a different perspective or significant update, post it in the #tradeoffs Slack channel, and we can deliberate about how to approach it.

If the statements are merely rephrased or slightly modified versions of the same content (e.g., repeated statements, identical announcements with different headlines), they should be consolidated into one entry.

Here's how to consolidate the statements into a single entry:

- Copy the text of all press releases into the same spreadsheet cell in the statement column. **Separate the statements with three semi-columns. (e.g., statement 1 text;;;statement 2 text)**
- In the date column, record the dates for each statement and separate them with three semi-colons (e.g., 2023-01-02;;;2023-01-10). **The order of the dates should correspond with the order of the press releases.**

The three semi-columns will serve as a delimiter that allows us to separate the statements and dates later, if necessary. 

### Joint statements or duplicative statements from multiple actors

If the governor and company both issue the same or similar statements, still record the same statement as the governor's and the company's.

### Social media posts

Limit your search to X/Twitter and Facebook. Don't check TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, TruthSocial, etc.

If the politician has a social media post that contains a link to a separate source, such as a newspaper article, also record that secondary source and separate it using the three semi-colons delimiter (;;;).

### Only includes an image

If the politician only includes an image of them with the project, in the statement column, write: "Only photo (photo_file_name.jpg)".

Save a copy of the photo in the *Dropbox/data/credit/photos* folder, and use that file name in the parentheses in the Googlesheet entry.

### Company press release has a quote from a politician

If a company press release has a quote from a politician and the politician has no other statement, use **only** that quote as the politician's statement and link to the company's press release.

### Politician only makes a statement in a newspaper article

Copy only the politician's quote, excluding the rest of the article, and archive the URL to the newspaper article. 


### Ambiguous cases

If you're unsure whether a statement should be included, post it in the #tradeoffs Slack channel, and we can deliberate about how to approach it.



# Saving Links

Save links using [Perma.cc](https://perma.cc). This step ensures that we can always access the original source even if the webpage is taken down.

If a press release is accessed through the Wayback Machine, there's no need to save a permalink.

Harvard RAs should have access to Perma.cc through the Harvard Law Library.

Princeton RAs should contact [dholland\@princeton.edu](mailto:dholland@princeton.edu){.email} and CC Alex Gazmararian to set up an account.

## If Perma.cc doesn't work

Save a PDF of the website to: Dropbox/data/credit/webarchive

Log the filename instead of a URL.

## If Perma.cc works but there's a paywall

Download a PDF of the webpage and upload that to the Perma.cc link shortly after creating it.



# Spreadsheet Layout

| Variable Name | Values | Description |
|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Coder | Character | Coder initials |
| Project ID | Numeric | Project ID (*don't edit*) |
| Project Name | Character | Project name (*don't edit*) |
| Project Type | Character | Project category (*don't edit*) |
| Date | Date | Announcement date (*don't edit*) |
| State | Character | State (*don't edit*) |
| City / County | Character | City or county (*don't edit*) |
| District | Numeric | Congressional district (*don't edit*) |
| **Company** |  |  |
| Company Name | Character | Company name (*don't edit*) |
| Company Statement | Yes; No | Whether company has a press release about project |
| Company Statement Text | Character | Copy-and-pasted statement text |
| Company Statement URL | Character | URL to statement preserved with permalink |
| Company Statement Date | Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Statement date |
| Company Notes | Character | Any relevant notes related to coding |
| **Governor** |  |  |
| Governor Name | Character | Governor's name (*don't edit*) |
| Governor Statement | Yes; No | Whether governor has a press release about project |
| Governor Statement Text | Character | Copy-and-pasted statement text |
| Governor Statement URL | Character | URL to statement preserved with permalink |
| Governor Statement Date | Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Statement date |
| Governor Statement Type | Character | Press release, social media, news item |
| Governor Notes | Character | Any relevant notes related to coding |
| **U.S. Representative** |  |  |
| Representative Name | Character | U.S. Representative's name (*don't edit*) |
| Representative Statement | Yes; No | Whether U.S. Representative has a press release about project |
| Representative Statement Text | Character | Copy-and-pasted statement text |
| Representative Statement URL | Character | URL to statement preserved with permalink |
| Representative Statement Date | Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Statement date |
| Representative Statement Type | Character | Press release, social media, news item |
| Representative Notes | Character | Any relevant notes related to coding |
| **U.S. Senator #1** |  |  |
| Senator 1 Name | Character | First Senator's name (*don't edit*) |
| Senator 1 Statement | Yes; No | Whether U.S Senator has a press release about project |
| Senator 1 Statement Text | Character | Copy-and-pasted statement text |
| Senator 1 Statement URL | Character | URL to statement preserved with permalink |
| Senator 1 Statement Date | Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Statement date |
| Senator 1 Statement Type | Character | Press release, social media, news item |
| Senator 1 Notes | Character | Any relevant notes related to coding |
| **U.S. Senator #2** |  |  |
| Senator 2 Name | Character | Second Senator's name (*don't edit*) |
| Senator 2 Statement | Yes; No | Whether U.S Senator has a press release about project |
| Senator 2 Statement Text | Character | Copy-and-pasted statement text |
| Senator 2 Statement URL | Character | URL to statement preserved with permalink |
| Senator 2 Statement Date | Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Statement date |
| Senator 2 Statement Type | Character | Press release, social media, news item |
| Senator 2 Notes | Character | Any relevant notes related to coding |

# Data Sources

**Press databases**: Google News, Nexis Uni, etc.

**Government websites**: Most Governors, Senators, and Representatives archive their press releases on their official websites. For politicians who are no longer in office, try looking up their websites using the [Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org) or the [Library of Congress archive](https://www.loc.gov/collections/united-states-congressional-web-archive/about-this-collection/).

# Search Strategy

Here are some search term approaches to find press releases.

(company name) AND (project name)

(politician name) AND (project name OR company name)

Consider using *site:* in searches (e.g., Orion Assembly site:sherrodbrown.senate.gov). Also consider filtering searches by date ranges. 

**The key is persistence.** Some press releases are very easy to find, others require a bit of tinkering around with Google searches or manual searches in official websites.

**Share best practices.** As you find effective techniques to locate statements, please share them in the #tradeoffs Slack channel to help our research team. 

# Getting Started

Code 2 entries then send them to Alex to check before proceeding with the rest.

# Questions

Post any questions in the #tradeoffs Slack channel.

# Project Timeline

The goal is to finish this project by **June 1**. 

Update cadence: please check in with Alex over Slack every other day with a brief update on your progress (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).




